Survival Pack

A lightweight, waterproof survival kit you can customize for your needs

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From building fire and shelter to getting your bearings and signaling for help, this 6-oz. kit has the tools and information you need to survive. Note: this is NOT a first-aid kit, but there is room to add a few small items, like tweezers or meds.

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One side of the case holds a knife with LED light and whistle plus compass and fire starter all locked securely in place. The "pea-less" whistle works in freezing temps and can be heard up to one mile away. The compass is pretty basic.

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The folding knife opens into a sharp and sturdy 1.75-inch blade. A 10-lumen LED on the blade's inside edge (for right-handers) points at what you're cutting. At 1.4 ounces, the knife/LED/whistle combo is a great weight saver.

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The waterproof compartment holds 4 pieces of tinder for starting fires, steel wire, and nylon cord for repairing gear repair or building shelter, 4 hooks, line, leaders, and sinkers for fishing, and a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil for boiling water.

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The magnesium fire starter--Fire Lite--is the lightest I've tried (one-third of an ounce), works when wet and can be used with one hand. I ignited the included waterproof tinder in three tries after shoving both the starter and tinder in snow.

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Use the sighting hole to aim the rescue mirror when signaling for help. I decided to practice for the inevitable.

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A waterproof sheet of handy survival tips from Buck Tilton is also included. I especially liked the tips on building fire and finding water. My favorite tips pertained to diet: "Don't eat the caterpillars." You know there's a story there. Eh, Buck?

SOL means Survive Outdoors Longer. With the SOL Origin survival kit, you get 5 of the 10 “Essentials” in a compact, lightweight, and waterproof hard case. It was enough to make me want to get lost. Text and photos by Dan Larson.